1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to braking devices, in particular to braking devices on dual-bearing reels for braking the spool in a dual-bearing reel.
2. Description of Related Art
In dual-bearing reels referred to as a bait reels, utilized mainly for lure fishing, generally braking force is made to act on the spool so that backlash, wherein the rotational speed of the spool when casting is faster than the line wind-out speed, does not occur. As examples of this class of braking device centrifugal braking mechanisms that employ centrifugal force developing from spool rotation to brake the spool, and casting control mechanisms that mechanically brake the spool shaft by grasping either end of the spool spindle are known.
Japanese Laid-Open Pat. App. No. 10-304798 discloses a centrifugal braking mechanism in this class of braking device, wherein the braking force is adjustable from the outer side of the reel body.
The centrifugal braking mechanism is furnished with a rotary member that rotates linked with the spool; a plurality of braking members disposed in radial fashion on the rotary member; a stationary member that comes into contact with the tips of the braking members; and a braking force adjustment mechanism. The braking members of the plurality are fitted to, and pivotable around axes along chord directions of, the rotating member; by centrifugal force they pivot within planes that pass through the axis of the spool. The stationary member is non-rotatably fitted to the reel body but able to travel in the spool spindle direction, and can come into contact with braking members that have rocked due to centrifugal force. A mechanism that shifts the stationary member back and forth in the spool spindle direction, the braking force adjustment mechanism is for adjusting braking force that contacting of the braking members on the stationary member generates.
In the above-noted conventional centrifugal braking mechanism, when the spool rotates centrifugal force acts on the braking members, and the braking members rock heading spool-spindle outward. The braking members then contact the stationary member, which brakes the spool. Shifting the stationary member in the axial direction by means of the braking force adjustment mechanism adjusts the braking force by altering its moment according to the rocking angle of the braking members during contact with the stationary member.
Casting control mechanisms, on the other hand, are furnished with friction plates disposed on either end of, as a pair sandwiching, the spool spindle, and a cap provided screw-mated to the reel body in order to regulate the grasping force by the friction plates. In the casting control mechanism, the spool shaft is braked by turning the cap, which presses the spool spindle more towards the friction plate on the other end than the friction plate on the one end.
In the conventional braking devices noted above, the spool spindle shifts slightly when adjusting the braking force with the casting control mechanism. When the spool shaft shifts, this accompanied by the rotary member of the centrifugal braking mechanism also shifting axially, along with its braking members.
When the braking members shift axially, the clearance between them and the stationary memberxe2x80x94fitted to be shiftable on the reel bodyxe2x80x94becomes different from the pre-shift clearance, and the braking-member rocking angle changes. When adjusting the braking force with the casting control mechanism, therefore, the braking force exerted from the centrifugal braking mechanism will sometimes change even if the stationary member is disposed into the same position axially. Accordingly, in the above-noted conventional centrifugal braking mechanism, being able to adjust the braking force accurately when the spool spindle shifts is highly unlikely.
An object of the present invention is to facilitate, and enable to be accurately performed the operation of adjusting the braking force in dual-bearing reel braking devices.
The braking device for a dual-bearing reel as determined by a first aspect of the present invention is a device for braking a spool which is provided with a reel body of the dual-bearing reel and includes a rotating member, a plurality of braking members, a fixing member, a coupling means, and a braking force adjusting means. The rotating member is rotatably provided with the reel body in a non-movable manner in an axial direction. The plurality of braking members is movably provided with the rotating member and moved by a centrifugal force. The fixing member is non-rotatably provided with the reel body in a movable manner in the axial direction. The fixing member, when moved in the axial direction, is capable of making contact with the braking members, which are moved by a centrifugal force, in a different frictional state. The coupling means is a means for non-rotatably coupling the rotating member to an interlocking member which interlocks with the spool in a movable manner in the axial direction. The braking force adjusting means is a means for adjusting a braking force. The braking force adjusting means moves the fixing member in the axial direction and adjusts a braking force which is generated when the fixing member is moved in the axial direction and makes contact with the braking members.
In this braking device, when the spool rotates, the interlocking members including the spool shaft and the spool itself rotate together with the spool, and the rotating member which is non-rotatably coupled to the interlocking members by the coupling means rotates together with the spool. When the rotating member rotates, the braking members move towards the fixing member by a centrifugal force. Then, when the braking members make contact with the fixing member, a braking force is applied to the rotating member due to friction between the braking members and the fixing member, and the spool is braked. At that time, a friction state between the fixing member and the braking members becomes different depending on the position of the fixing member in the axial direction and the braking force applied varies accordingly. Therefore, an adjustment of the braking force may be easily carried out by moving the fixing member in the axial direction of the rotating member by using the braking force adjusting means. Also, since the rotating member is rotatably provided with the reel body in a non-movable manner in the axial direction and coupled to the interlocking members by the coupling means in a movable manner in the axial direction, the rotating member does not move in the axial direction if the interlocking members such as the spool shaft are moved in the axial direction by fluctuation of the interlocking member or an operation of the casting control mechanism. Thus, the distance between the rotating member and the fixing member does not change unless the fixing member is intentionally moved. For this reason, a predetermined braking force is not changed if the interlocking members are moved and, hence, an adjustment of the braking force may be performed in an accurate manner.
The braking device for a dual-bearing reel as determined by a second aspect of the invention is, in braking devices in the first aspect, one wherein the spool is non-rotatably coupled to a spool shaft which is the interlocking member and the coupling means is provided with the spool shaft and non-rotatably couples the rotating member to the spool shaft in a movable manner in the axial direction. In this device, when the spool rotates, the spool shaft is rotated and the braking members, via the coupling member, make contact with the fixing member to brake the Spool. At that time, the rotating member does not move in the axial direction if the spool shaft is moved in the axial direction since the rotating member is coupled to the spool shaft by the coupling means in a movable manner in the axial direction. Accordingly, if the spool shaft is moved due to fluctuation of the spool shaft or an operation of the casting control mechanism, the braking force is not changed.
The braking device for a dual-bearing reel as determined by a third aspect is, in braking devices in the first or second aspect, one wherein the fixing member has an inner surface of a cone shape which functions as a braking surface, the inner surface being disposed so as to face an outer periphery side of the rotating member and be concentric with the rotating member and the braking members are radially disposed so as to face the braking surface, each of the braking members being provided with the rotating member in a movable manner to a respective movement limit position and capable of making contact with the braking surface by a centrifugal force. In this device, since the braking surface of the fixing member has a cone shape, the diameter of a osculating circle formed by a contact of the braking members with the braking surface is reduced as the fixing member is moved towards the rotating member and, accordingly, the distance required for the braking members to move in order to make contact with the braking surface is shortened. For this reason, the number of braking members which may make contact with the braking surface gradually increases since the braking member which has a movement limit position close to the rotating member becomes capable of making contact with the braking surface and, hence, the braking force is increased. On the other hand, when the fixing member is moved away from the rotating member, the braking force is gradually decreased. At that time, the distance between the fixing member and the rotating member is not changed if the interlocking members are moved in the axial direction since the rotating member is not moved and, therefore, the diameter of the osculating circle does not change. For this reason, the braking force does not vary if the interlocking members are moved in the axial direction.
The braking device for a dual-bearing reel as determined by a fourth aspect of the invention is, in braking devices in the third aspect, one wherein the braking members are provided with the rotating member so as to be movable in a direction substantially right angle to the braking surface. In this device, since the braking members make contact with the braking surface substantially at right angle and a component of centrifugal force which is vertical to the braking surface becomes a vertical drag for generating friction for braking, a centrifugal force may be efficiently converted to a braking force.
The braking device for a dual-bearing reel as determined by a fifth aspect of the present invention is, in braking devices in the third or fourth aspect, one wherein the fixing member includes a supporting portion non-rotatably supported by the reel body in a movable manner in an axial direction of the spool and a main portion integrally formed with the supporting portion, the main portion having the inner surface of cone shape which functions as the braking surface, and the braking force adjusting means includes a lever portion movably provided with the reel body, the lever portion being exposed to outside of the reel body and a converting mechanism for converting movement of the lever portion to a movement of the main portion in an axial direction of the spool. In this device, since the main portion of the fixing member which is supported by the reel body is moved in the axial direction when the lever portion which is exposed outside is moved, the braking force may be adjusted by a simple operation from outside.
The braking device for a dual-bearing reel as determined by a sixth aspect is, in braking devices in the first or second aspect, one wherein the braking members are radially provided with the rotating member with a space between each other in a circumferential direction of the rotating member so as to be movable around an axis along a chord direction, their position of center of gravity being placed at a the spool side with respect to a center of movement, and the fixing member has an annular braking surface, the annular braking surface may make contact with an end portion of the braking members and is provided substantially right angle to a rotational axis of the rotating member. In this device, when the spool rotates, the end portion of the respective braking member which is movably provided with the rotating member moves towards the fixing member and makes contact with the fixing member to brake the spool. The braking force is determined by the angle of the braking members when they make contact with the fixing member. At this time, if the interlocking members move in the rotational axis direction, the rotating member is not affected by the movement. Accordingly, the angle of the braking members when they make contact with the fixing member is not changed. Thus, the braking force may be adjusted in an easy and accurate manner.
The braking device for a dual-bearing reel as determined by a seventh aspect of the invention is, in braking devices in any of the first through sixth aspects, one that further comprises a casting control mechanism which is capable of braking the spool by holding the coupling member. In this device, the braking force of the braking members in not changed if the interlocking members are moved in the axial direction by an operation of the casting control mechanism.
From the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art.